Eric

Wagaman

Given his first big opportunity at age 27, Wagaman hit .250/.296/.378 in 514 plate appearances for the Marlins last season. More encouraging, though, were hit 46.5% hard-hit rate and 19.5% strikeout rate. So, there probably is the potential for more offense here. Still, Wagaman is below average at third and in the outfield and probably needs to be mostly limited to first base. The Twins figure to use him there or at DH against lefties, assuming that he makes the team. One imagines he’ll be competing with Kody Clemens, Edouard Julien and Mickey Gasper for two roster spots. Wagaman and Gasper both have options remaining, whereas the other two do not.

Wagaman’s 46.5% hard-hit rate and 19.5% strikeout rate last season were both pretty encouraging, but they produced only a modest .250/.296/.378 line in what might have been the 28-year-old’s only really good chance to establish himself in the majors. Maybe he’ll get lucky and the Rockies or Nationals will pick him up as a first base option. If not, Asia might be a possibility.

This would seem to be a bit short-sighted since Ramírez has a quality bat and was one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball during his rookie season. He posted a -12 Fielding Runs Value on Statcast and was 63rd out of 63 catchers in Statcast’s Caught Stealing Above Average after throwing out only eight of 76 possible baserunners. De Nicola reports that the Marlins are now considering Eric Wagaman, Heriberto Hernandez, or Connor Norby as internal options at first base.

Wagaman broke a scoreless tie as he drove in Connor Norby with an RBI double off of Ryne Stanek in the fourth inning. That would prove to be the difference in the ballgame. The versatile 28-year-old finishes his 2025 campaign hitting .250/.296/.378 with nine homers and 53 RBI in 514 plate appearances with the Marlins.

The Marlins couldn’t do much against Jesús Luzardo in this one. The one run they did manage to push across was mostly due to an error by Phillies’ third baseman Alec Bohm which put Connor Norby on second base and Wagaman drove him home from there. A player with plus bat speed and contact rates, Wagaman could wind up as a deep sleeper in 2026 should he wind up with steady playing time.

Wagaman delivered a run-scoring single off of MacKenzie Gore in the opening inning that extended the Marlins’ early lead to 2-0. He then added a pair of valuable insurance runs with a two-run double in the eighth inning and scored on a sacrifice fly. With his three-hit attack, the 28-year-old infielder is now slashing .244/.294/.378 with nine homers, 48 RBI and three stolen bases in 476 plate appearances on the season.

Wagaman got the start at first base on Saturday with the left-handed Jesús Luzardo on the mound for the Phillies. He put the Marlins on the board with one of their two runs on a double in the fourth inning. Wagaman later drew a walk. The 28-year-old is slashing .238/.290/.373 with nine homers, 49 runs scored, and 46 RBI across 466 plate appearances.

It’s the second time in the past three days that the 28-year-old infielder has found himself situated on the bench for the Marlins. Liam Hicks will start in his place at first base and will bat third for the Marlins against Clay Holmes and the Mets on Thursday evening in New York.

He takes the roster spot of Nick Fortes. It’s the first major league callup for the 28-year-old Johnston. An outstanding 2023 season between Double- and Triple-A (.307/.399/.549 with 26 HR and 116 RBI) got him some attention a couple of years back, but he’s been only solid since, hitting .252/.333/.439 in Triple-A this year. The Marlins will probably use him some against righties, mostly at Eric Wagaman’s expense.

The 27-year-old has become a fixture in the middle of the Marlins’ lineup this season, but he’ll get a breather with rookie right-hander Didier Fuentes toeing the slab for the Braves. Liam Hicks will cover first base in his absence and bat seventh for the Marlins on Friday evening.